Item Holders
by DJ Moves
Summary: Tired of being left out of his friends's free time b/c of their spirits, Joey decids to get his own Mellenium Item. Complete


Title: Keeper of the Items  
  
Author: JD  
  
Rating: PG-13 because of swearing and abuse.  
  
Summery: What if Joey had a Millennium Item? Wow, this might actually classify as "fluff."  
  
I look at my friends. Yugi and Ryou. They have Items. Special Items that give them strange powers. Well, not really THEM, but the spirits that reside in the Items that take over their bodies from time to time. Confused? So was I.  
  
But then I got over it after awhile. They were my friends and any ancient spirit friends of theirs were friends of mine. Well, not really. They don't really like me, Yami and Bakura. I can just tell. I used to not be able to see them. So I kept walking in on Ryou or Yami talking to their spirits and thought they were crazy. But gradually, I began to see them too. They look very ghostly to me. Not with that wispy tail thing or anything, but definitely...see through. Yugi and Ryou both say they see the spirits just fine; not see-through at all. So I guess it's an Item thing.  
  
And the spirits never look happy to see me. It means I'm interrupting something special to them and their Item holders. I accidentally was their when Yami gave Yugi his first kiss. I was surprised to say the least. Really. For one thing, I just don't see Yugi as the gay type. But he's in love and Yami's in love.  
  
Then there's Ryou and Bakura. They really confuse me. Bakura doesn't seem the gay type at all. Ryou? Well...lets just say I knew he didn't like any of those girls following him around. So I wasn't surprised that after Yugi was kissed by his spirit, he ran giggly to Ryou, confessed, and Ryou confessed about his feelings for his spirit. Honestly, I don't understand how ANYONE except maybe that blond psycho in our history class could EVER even PUT UP WITH Bakura, let alone FALL IN LOVE. He's CRAZY. He enjoys RAW BLOOD. I'm not saying I've never had my steak rare (well, I don't eat a lot of steak so I didn't know what "rare" meant at the time) but RAW BLOOD?! Ew. I know I sound like a little annoying...chick or something but COME ON!  
  
So it was all, "Set Ryou Up With Psycho Bakura" for a whole entire week. Bakura quickly caught on and used me as a sort of bargaining device to get them to leave him the hell alone. They finally obliged when he threatened to slit my throat and suck out my blood until there was none left. But when Bakura thinks I can't see him, he always does some sort of...affectionate type thing with Ryou. He kisses him or hugs him, or whatever.  
  
Don't go getting the idea I'm jealous or anything. But I do feel left out from time-to-time. It's kind of hard to go out in public when your date is a 3000 year dead ghost, so they stay at home a lot. And I don't like being at my house. So I'm usually over at one of their houses. But their spirits always whisk them away and leave me alone in the living room watching reruns of the Real World/Road Rules challenge. I wonder if Emily really will leave if her boyfriend does. *Cough*  
  
So I'm not jealous. I'm not. I don't want to be in either of the spirit's places at all. Kiss me best friends? Yeah, right. And I'm starting to think Yugi and Yami have gotten farther. So what does that leave me? Wondering if Puck's wife ever got out of Jamaica. *Sigh*  
  
I guess this is why I'm standing here, my hand running over the remaining Items. The salesman looks at me expectantly. I'm having to trade a my life savings (which isn't a lot, unfortunately) for a choice between the gold eye or the stick thing. If only he knew what the damn things did. He wouldn't be charging $50 bucks for them. Stupid Shadi's Pawn Shop. A real joke. I finally pick up the stick and hand him my money.  
  
"The Millennium Rod." So maybe he does know. Ew, Rod gives me nasty images. "Very interesting indeed. Have a nice life."  
  
I shrug and began walking in the rain, staring down at the glimmering thing. Is this, like, solid gold or something? Can't be, too light. And gold's suppose to be moldable. I remember that from Chemistry. And that a great way for remembering the atomic symbols is:  
  
You get your gold ring stolen: "Hey you!" Au You get your silver medallion stolen in the ghetto: "Ay, gee!" Ag  
  
Yeah, my chemistry teacher was a dork.  
  
I make my way home, a place I don't really want to be. But my dad's already passed out on the couch, so I make it to my room just fine. I kick of my shoes and set the "Rod" (ew, ew, ew, ew! Why don't they just call it the Millennium Dildo?) next to me on the bed. Exactly how do I "call" the spirit out. Finally, considering it's gold, I say, "Hey you."  
  
"Hey yourself." A sprit begins to materialize in front of me. He's wearing my school uniform, though he doesn't really look right in it, I can't see through him, and he's got dark brown hair. He KINDA looks like me, but not to the sometimes creepy way the other spirits do to the Item Holders. He crosses his arms. "Yeah?"  
  
"Um, hey. I'm Joey."  
  
"Seto Kaiba, call me Kaiba. What the hell do you want?"  
  
"Um...not much, I guess."  
  
"Great, whatever." He flops on my bed and I turn to stare at him. "What? Surprised?"  
  
"No, my friends have Items. I got bored and bought one, too." That wasn't EXACTLY why, I guess I was hoping one of the damn Items had a hot chick who'd fall in love with me, but I guess I needed another couple hundred for the necklace.  
  
He raised his eyebrows. "Okay..."  
  
"So...Kaiba?"  
  
"Well, I was Priest Seto, but only the Pharaoh called me that."  
  
"Pharaoh Yami?"  
  
"Yes?" he asked a bit testily.  
  
"He's, um...yeah..." What the hell was I suppose to say? The Pharaoh was bonking my best friend? "So, a priest, huh?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
I sighed. God, how boring. How did they ever become what they did? Not that I wanted...Kaiba or whatever...to kiss me.  
  
"You're a pathetic worthless excuse for a Item holder. How boring. Why can't I have someone who actually wants to use my power?"  
  
"Which is?" I asked, perking up. Hey, yeah. Yami's unbeatable at games and Bakura is able to put people's souls into inanimate objects. So what does a priest do?  
  
"You can place yourself in someone's mind. Kind of like making your own brain zombies that will do your bidding."  
  
Mind Control. I guess ancient Egypt wasn't much different from now-a-days religion.  
  
"Ok, cool. Lets go mind control people."  
  
Kaiba yawned. "Nah."  
  
"Huh? Aren't I, like, your master or something? Don't you have to do what I say?"  
  
"Yeah, whatever. Except, you look like you're not worthy. I was the pharaoh's highest priest. You can't honestly expect me to take orders from some 21-century punk."  
  
"Asshole," I mutter under my breath.  
  
"Joey?! Who are you talking to?!" my dad screamed from the hallway.  
  
Mother of god... "No one--"  
  
He burst in the room and I noticed Kaiba jump. I had to remember real quick my dad couldn't see him. "Who do you have hidden in here?! Huh?!" He grabbed me by the shirt and pushed me against the wall.  
  
"No one," I whispered.  
  
He punched me in the gut, causing me to reel over in pain. He knocked me in the chin with his knee. "What are you, crazy?!"  
  
I shook my head, then nodded, then shook my head again. I didn't understand him anymore. My head was spinning and--  
  
I began coughing and I noticed blood on my hands. Oh my god, I'm coughing up blood. "D-dad...st-stop...please..." I was embarrassed more than hurt. What was my damn spirit going to think when he saw me getting hit around by my dad? I wasn't a weakling and I didn't want him to think so. But at the same time, I knew fighting back never got me any where.  
  
By that time, he was done and he left me, spitting on me. "Ingrate," he muttered, tipping back his beer bottle. "I'm going out. Don't wait up for me."  
  
I nodded a bit, but stayed slunk over. He didn't like me passed out, but he still made sure I couldn't stand after me beatings.  
  
I couldn't this time, too. So once my door was closed, I began pulling myself to my bed. I had forgotten about the spirit, so I tensed when I felt arms go around me, pulling me up. "Leave--leave me..." I fell against the spirit, unable to breath properly.  
  
He helped me over to my bed. My head was spinning or else I would have pushed him away. I didn't remember where I was, or who he was, so I allowed him to take me into his arms. He held my head pressed against his chest and began whispering to me in a soothing tone that indicated his eyes were closed. A coughing fit came about and I noticed blood splattered on the blue uniform that looked so good on him. Him. No. Not good. Guy not good. Coughing up blood not good either.  
  
I really hoped that I had bit my tongue or something. I didn't needed punctured lungs or such. I couldn't go to the hospital. My dad didn't have health insurance and we already have too many debts. Next month they evict us and repossess the car. It was strange how my mind was wondering away from everything that was presently.  
  
I guess I must have slipped off into some sleep, because the next thing I saw was Kaiba's concerned face looking down at me. I could finally make him out clearly and I felt a bit at ease with him. "Kaiba..." I whispered and buried my face in his blood splattered chest, crying softly. And I NEVER cry. Never. And I barely knew this...spirit. And all I felt was safe. And unrealistically happy. He tilted my face up and placed a kiss on my lips. "Don't cry," he whispered. "I'll heal you."  
  
I don't know why, but it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard, so I began laughing. I think it was more, though, as I pulled myself closer and pushed myself away from him over and over again, tears coming from my eyes I was laughing so hard. It was relief and comfort and pain and happiness and self-doubt and hey, I was being held by an Egyptian spirit.  
  
I felt his arms go around me, hugging me close. "Don't cry," he whispered. "Please." And again I felt his soft lips on mine. This time... This time the realization of what was happening came to me. I tried to push myself away, but instead of pushing against him, my hands grabbed his shoulders, pulling me closer. His breath was warm and his lips were soft. So much softer than I expected. His tongue went over my lips and pushed through.  
  
I kissed him back and suddenly I felt...happy. So very, very happy. I almost started crying again. Suddenly it didn't matter we were both guys and that he was...pretty much dead. He was my protector. I can't remember if he whispered that or if that just came to my on my own. I finally understood how Ryou and Yugi felt about their spirits. There was no connection closer or tighter than the one I was sharing with the priest right now. I held him close, finally happy. 


End file.
